keehbiel



UNiTfEDp- STATES f PATENT r OFFICE.'

JOHN KREHBIEL, or KLAMAZOO, MICHIGAN.

. vl-:sTlBuLE r-fo'R CARS.

srncrrfrcn oN forming pm ef Lettere Patent Ne. 417,567, dated December17, 1889.

To aZZ .whom Vt may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN KREHBIEL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kalamazoo, in the county of Kalamazoo and State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vestibules forRailway-Cars, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in vestibule-cars;and the object of the invention is to do away with the flexibleconstruction now in use and obtain the necessary self-adjustabilitywith' a rigid construction.

My invention consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement ofparts whereby a rigidly-constructed vestibule is adj ustably supportedbetween the adjoiningends of two cars in such a manner that it willadjust itself to the relative movement of the cars without interfering,all as'more fully hereinafter described, and shown in the accompanyingdrawings.

Figure l is a plan view with the vestibule shown in horizontal sectionbetween the adjoining ends of two cars. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig.3 is a vertical central section. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of one carprovided with its section of vestibule. Fig. 5 is a detached perspectiveview of one section of the vestibule.

A A are the two halves of the vestibule, each being constructed like theother and adapted to jointly form together a covered `passage betweenthe ends of the adjoining cars when coupled together in the usualmanner. These vestibule-sections I construct in a rigidmannerypreferably of style and ornamentation in keeping with the carsand in a light but substantial manner, preferably with a light steelframe.

Each section of vestibule consists of a iioor a, sides b, provided withthe usual doors c, and preferably a window d or glass panelling d and aroof e. The two ends are open, or substantially so, one, end beingprovided with flexible or hinged dust-guards f, (see Fig. 1,) whichareadapted to close against the ends of the cars, the other end beingprovided with a frame h, adapted to form a good bearing all around whenthe two sections are Application tiled September 2, 1839- serial No'322739' (No model) guide-pins vengaging into corresponding rel cesses inthe opposite frame.

The meeting ends of the vestibule-sections have suitable guides-such asthe guides K to bring them in proper apposition to each other when thecars are coupled and hold them when coupled from being accidentallydisplaced. I preferably provide the frames or construct them withinwardly and outwardly projecting fianges m, (which on top and at thesides are beveled to shed the water o the joint,) and the object ofwhich is to impart rigidity to the'central portion of the vestibule whenthe sections are jointed, so that the two sections together will formpractically one structure only.

Each section of the vestibule is connected to its respective car in thefollowing manner: Under the. inner end of the floor in the center thevestibule-section has a pivotal sliding connection with the platform ofany suitable construction which will admit of a certain play of thevestibule in the longitudinal di rection of the car, and also permit itto tip` freely in any direction. To accomplish this the vestibule-flooris raised high enough above the car-platform to admit of such free play.As aform of the many joints which may be desired, I show in the drawingsa pivot-bolt o secured to the Linder side of the vestibule-floor andengaging into a Vlongitudinal socket or slot p in the car-platform,which allows the vestibule to tip to either side or end, and alsopermits longitudinal displacement with more or less tendency to returnto a normal positionwhen free to do so. The opposite end of thevestibule I support on springs in any suitable manner free to allow thevestibule' to tip or to be displaced longitudinally. As a form of suchsupport, I show the leafsprings o, which bear against the under side ofthe vestibule-licor near the sides, and the tension of which ispreferably so adj usted that if the cars are uncoupled they will, undernormal condition, support the weight of the vestibule on a bevel.Acontinuous floor is formed by means of a suitable floor-plate IOO itwill be seen that while the vestibule is -l absolutely rigid thesupports are in every way self-adjusting under the relative movement ofthe two adjoining cars, no matter in which direction. The lateraloscillations are easily compensated for by the yielding lateral supportsand by the pivots which provide for sufficient lateral play to eitherside. rlhe vertical movement is compensated for bythe yielding supportsand the longitudinal displacement by the longitudinal play of thepivot.'

It is well understood that with the present construction a greattensional resistance is in two like halves separately securedtogether fand forming an independent rigid structure i between two adjoining ca'rsand having selfadjusting supports' upon the respective platt forms ofsaid cars, of coupling devices adapted fto rigidly secure the twohalvestogether, and Qfalse thresholds' pivotally secured to the rc-` spectiveends of the floor of the vestibule, substantially as described. n

maintained between the cars, which also may sometimes lessen theoscillations of the cars, transmitting them from one car to the otherthrough the whole train and greatly increasing the friction of the carsoir the rails in passing around curves, as the pivotal connectionbetween` the cars is greatly interfered with by the vestibule. On myconstruction I avoid this dih'iculty, as I preserve' the full freedomVof the pivotal connection between the cars; V

of twol like halves, each provided with supports a b upon the-platformof the ca'r, the

and it will be further observed that the variation between the ends ofmy vestibule and the ends of the cars are, and necessarily must be, ofless magnitude than the variation in the center of the vestibule, as inthe present y construction.

That I claim as my invention is- 1. In a vestibule-car, a vestibuleconstructed to form a rigid independent structure between two adjoiningcars and provided withl selfl adjusting and yielding supports upon theplatforms of the respective cars to permit of the free relative movementof the two cars, substantially as described.

2. A car-vestibule rigidly constructed in two separable halves andpivotally supported upon and free of the platform of two adjoining carsindependent of the relative movement between the cars, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a vestibule car, a vestibule rigidly constructed in two separablelike halves, each supported upon the platformof the car on a :slidingpivot, and yielding lateral supports 'under the floor of thevestibule,substantially as described.

4. In a vestibule-car, a vestibule rigidly constructed in twoy separablehalves provided with coupling devices on their meeting faces zadapted torigidly secure them together, of centra'l pivotal sliding supports andlateral I yielding supports on the supporting-platforms f of the car,substantially as described.

5. In a vestibule-car, a vestibule constructed 6. In avestibule-car, a'vestibule consisting coupling devices, the' aprons, and the falsethreshold, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses,this 22d day of August, 1889.

JOHN KREIIBIEL;

Witnesses:

ED. MCBREARTY, GEO. A. GREGG.

